What the Future Brings
by Forscythe
Summary: In a world ruled in the iron grip of a tyrannical government that uses NetNavis and cross fusion to rule by force, the young descendant of Lan Hikari soon finds himself involved in a struggle he never intended to be a part of. Probably going to undergo a rewrite.
1. The Future

Talking

_Thinking_

Please note that this story assumes Star Force does not exist, or happens after this. I loved this idea from the moment it crystallized in my mind. Hopefully you guys will as well.

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><p>Chapter I: The Future<p>

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><p>A young man clad in black shirt over which a blue jacket hung loosely, stared up at the propaganda filled sign that shone in the darkness of the slums. The dimly lit board, which showed a picture of the current "president" of the Earth, was the only light around. Chip Hikari sighed deeply at the slogan embellished on the board in bright orange letters.<p>

"It's certainly true without the whole 'prosperity' part of it," Chip said grimly adjusting his jeans, "We wouldn't be in this state if that man wasn't in charge."

"That's kind of dangerous talk." another teen dressed in a red and yellow jacket walked up to stand next to Chip, "You know what can happen to people that defy him."

"Yeah yeah," Chip waved his hand in dismissal, "Myles, you of all people should know that I couldn't give a damn what our wonderful leader has to say."

"Yeah well, as your best friend I feel the need to remind you ever so often so I won't feel guilty when you do get caught." Myles replied grinning up at his friend "So what's on the agenda for today."

"Nothing really," Chip kneeled down and inserted a cable into a terminal connected to the billboard. "Just my usual chaos."

"I don't know how they never catch you doing this crap." Myles bent down to watch his friend in action.

"I must be just that good," Chip typed madly on the laptop resting on his knee, putting his hacking skills into action

"That or your outdated technology."

"Ass. This laptop works perfectly fine."

After a couple minutes, the billboard began to flicker and turned to static. Moments after that a similar picture showed up on the billboard, only now the president was dressed up as a clown.

In that moment everything was decided.

Chip's computer sparked and exploded, sending the pair flying backwards. The young Hikari felt dirt digging into fresh, shallow cuts as he slammed into the ground next to his friend.

"What the hell!" Chip coughed as the smoke stung his eyes. "What just happened?"

"I think someone is on to you." Myles sat up, "That or your computer finally died. I'm betting on the former."

Suddenly the shrill sound of police sirens filled the air. Chip scrambled to his feet, cursing to himself.

"We've got to get out of here Myles!" Chip pulled his friend up

"Split up and meet back up at the place?"

"You got it!" Chip shot off down an alleyway. Unfortunately, it didn't take long until he heard the sound of heavy metal feet slamming on the ground behind him.

"Shit! Am I really that big of a target that they'd send Cross Fusion Police after me!" Chip rounded the corner, only pausing for a moment to take a look back. When he did his worst fears were confirmed. Several humanoid shapes were following him. They were decked out in armor, and looked all the exact same.

"All basic Chaser models..." Chip mumbled to himself as he began to scale a ladder on the side of a building, "Not sure if that's a good or bad thing..."

Chip quickly made his way to the rooftops. Moments later, the Chasers lept up the the roof right behind him. Chip quickly picked up speed and ran to the other side of the rooftops. He didn't pause for a second, before leaping to the opposite rooftop.

"_Gotta remember to thank Mr. Chaud," _Chip thought to himself, rolling with his momentum. "_Of course then again he'll probably berate me for doing stupid things again."_

Chip looked over his shoulder, to see the Chaser models in mid air over the rooftops.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Chip sighed to himself, "They're being awfully persistent lately."

Chip turned to run across the rooftops again, only to come face to face with another trio of Chaser models climbing onto the roof. Chip's head whipped to the left and right to find that he was about to be surrounded.

_"Today is just not my day..."_ Chip prepared for the inevitable

All of a sudden, one of the Chaser squads was sliced in half at the waist, splattering blood all over Chip's face.

"What...? Chip had barely anytime to react as something grabbed him around the waist. The mysterious entity whispered the simple command of 'run' and flung him roughly over to the next rooftop. Chip landed hard on his back and rolled painfully on the hard surface. He took a quick glance over to where his savior was, only catching a glimpse of his appearance before remembering the stranger's command and bolting as fast as he could in the opposite direction.

From what Chip could tell, the figure had been someone in a Cross Fusion. He had been decked out in red and black armor with extremely long blonde hair, and from what Chip inferred from how he had killed the Chasers, used a energy sword or two.

"Well thanks to whoever that was." Chip slid down a ladder and ran through the streets toward what he and Myles had called "Home" for a long time, "He saved my ass..."

After a few painstaking minutes of sneaking around and avoiding curfew patrols, Chip finally saw the only place he could call home.

Chip carefully pushed the half attached door inward before closing it behind him.

Not hearing a single noise from inside, he called out, "Hey Myles! You there!"

When he didn't hear a response, his heart dropped straight into his chest, and he began to slightly panic. Chip quickly uncovered the entrance to the basement and lifted up the trapdoor. He practically fell down the stairs only to find his friend calmly eating a sandwich and lounging on the couch.

"Why the hell didn't you answer me?"Chip was furious.

"For all I knew you could have been one of the police replicating your voice or something." Myles answered calmly, before returning to his sandwich.

Chip sighed is defeat before plopping down in one of the old recliners.

"So what was with the irritation?" Myles took another bite of his sandwich.

"Some police cross fused with Chaser models tried to arrest me on the way back." Chip replied.

"How'd you end up escaping?" Myles asked

"Some person saved me. I think they were a cross fuser." Chip leaned back in his chair.

"One outside of the government? No way!"

"I'm being perfectly serious here," Chip scowled at his skeptical friend.

"I never said you weren't! It's just amazing that something like that could exist." Myles mused.

"Yeah. I kinda wish I could cross fuse like that. I wonder what it'd be like to be able to stand up to those assholes," Chip leaned forward in his chair, halfway in a day dream.

"Well forget it. You'd either have to steal one or get lucky to find a dead body of a police officer."

"You know this is why I made this our new home," Chip quietly said

"And why is that? I thought you just liked the decor here," Myles joked

"This looked like an old lab of some kind. I sort of hoped something like that might exist here.

"Keep on dreaming buddy." Chip glared at his friend, who ignored it and kept on speaking, "There's not gonna be something like that just buried here."

"Well I keep on hopin-" Chip was interrupted by a crash upstairs, "What the hell was that!"

"Sounds like somebody followed you." Myles got to his feet.

The only warning was the crash of the trap door being ripped wide open, before Chip was tackled by a strange purple armored figure with a mounted cannon on his shoulder.

"Culprit captured." a strange mechanical voice spoke from beneath the thing's helmet that sent terror flowing through Chip's entire body, "Preparing to neutralize and carry to holding facility."

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><p>Hmmmm rather short chapter. I'm thinking future chapters will probably have at least double the length of this one. This was just such a good place to end it. As always R&amp;R!<p>

-Forscythe


	2. Vile Happenings

Talking

_Thinking_

Ahhh... writing Megaman fics while listening to the Protomen... anyway sorry about the wait, school and such! Also I guess I'll put this in at the beginning of every chapter for the reviewers to just say thanks to them for reviewing. This was Az The Dragon and two anonymous reviewers named Phoenixblaze500 and FicReaderAlpha. Also MERRY CHRISTMAS! (or whatever it is you celebrate).

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><p>Chapter II: Vile Happenings<p>

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><p>"Culprit captured." a strange mechanical voice spoke from beneath the thing's helmet that sent terror flowing through Chip's entire body, "Preparing to neutralize and carry to holding facility."<p>

Chip struggled desperately against the purple thing's hold.

"Resistance is futile. I will be taking you to detainment center."

"Oh yeah you and what army!" Chip tried to keep up a brave appearance

The purple humanoid let a chilling, grating laugh akin to metal scrapping against metal, "I believe that I am more than enough to deal with an inferior being such as yourself. Now cooperate or I will be forced to shoot electricity through your body until you lose consciousness. I, Vile will not take kindly to any more resistance"

"How pleasant." Chip muttered under his breath before looking into the thing's black abyss behind the helmet, "What about two of us?"

"Two of you?" Vile's body language shifted for the first time into uncertainty since he had abruptly arrived. "But I didn-"

Myles jumped onto Vile's back and applied a crackling electrical wire to either side of his head. The purple monster let out a high pitched screech before collapsing to the side of Chip. A crack was heard

"Uh-oh." Chip and Myles muttered practically in symmetry, "That can't be good."

Suddenly the floor collapsed from the stress of a very heavy Vile falling onto it. Chip and Myles fell down and down for what felt like ages, until a pipe swallowed Chip up and separated him from his friend. Then Chips only company was the darkness. He slid and slid down the tube for several minutes, sometimes going up sometimes going down, until a small beam of light began to grow bigger. Then, all of a sudden, Chip was launched out of the pipe painfully into a shallow puddle of water.

Chip groaned and gingerly picked his pain filled body out of the small pool of water he had landed in.

"Where am I?" Chip looked at the strange wreck of what appeared to be an old laboratory through his eyes, which were slowly adjusting to the dim light, "Some day this has been so far. Guess I might as well take a quick look around, and see if I can find a way out of here, and maybe Myles as well if he's stuck down here."

Chip picked his way through a sea of cables and concrete to the massive computer situated at the back of what he could tell was one room. Suddenly the tile his foot stepped on sunk an inch or two into the ground. Lights turned on everywhere, and the computer came to lie with a low purr that shattered the silence of the room. Chip took a step back, as a voice not unlike one of those butlers in old movies came from somewhere in the room.

"I request that identification be given sir or madame. Otherwise I might be forced to take measure against you for entering this place without permission"

"Ermm..." Chip was shaking. "My name is Chip Hikari if that helps anything."

"Indeed it does." the computer's voice took on a much more jovial tone. "Welcome young master Hikari!"

"Master Hikari?" Chip echoed the computers words in confusion, "I'm glad you're not going to terminate me or anything, as I've had enough of that today as it is, but what's with all the formalities?"

"Well Master Hikari, your great grandfather programmed me in part as a research computer, and in part as his butler. Therefore as the inheritor of his... well inheritance, you are by default my new master.

"My great grandfather...?"

"Oh..." the computer's voice turned sad, "I suppose you never knew him. That would explain why this place is a shambles. The man never trusted anybody after the united world government was overthrown. Your great grandfather was the legendary Lan Hikari.

"That's not ringing any bells," Chip scratched the back of his head, "But I've never trusted any history lesson at those propaganda filled schools anyway. I don't suppose you could tell me anything about him?"

"Well... that's a story for another time."

"Another time?" Chip looked at the computer with a confused expression spread across his face, "Isn't that kind of important?"

"Not nearly as important as what I'm about to give you." the British voice turned much more serious, as a small tray slid out of the side of the computer. "Go on. Take a look."

Chip stepped up to the to see what looked to be a largish size thing that looked to be some sort of computerized wrist watch. Chip picked up the strange device and rotated it in his hands, curiously examining it. The letters M.E.T were engraved in the side of it.

"If your wondering, M.E.T means Miniature Exploration Terminal. For now it will essentially serve as a extremely small laptop that can connect at anytime to the net. It features a holographic projection type screen, thus allowing for its compactness. It also will serve as the unit to hold your future NetNavi.

"A NetNavi!" Chip bobbled the device in shock.

"Yes Master Hikari."

"How the heck did you get a hold of one? Only the government is allowed to have them." Chip strapped the M.E.T on his wrist, marveling at its lightness.

"You forget Master Hikari. I am a computer, and before your great grandfather died, he implemented a code in me to build one. It should be finished any time now." Chip could almost imagine a old man in a suit winking at him, "In fact... go ahead and point the side closest to me at me and press the blue button."

Chip did so and heard his M.E.T. speak in a generic computerized voice, "Download commencing."

"Really?" Chip looked at the massive computer with a bemused look on his face, "You have a British accent, and my M.E.T. is a generic computer voice in every old episode of science fiction ever? I hope my NetNavi has a bit more personality."

"Well you might as well see." the computer sounded amused at his outburst, "The download is finished."

Chip terminated the link by pressing the blue button on his M.E.T, "So what can I call you anyway? It's going to be awkward calling you computer all the time."

"You may call me Alfred sir."

"Alright," Chip swiped his hand across the top of the device, "Let's see what great gramps left me."

A shimmering light blue display popped up from the device and a figure slowly materialized on the interface. Its head was mostly a dark blue, but had two yellow ridges running from about the bottom of the front of the face's helmet to the back at a ninety degree angle with each other. In between the two The face itself was human skin colored and the Navi had green eyes. He had a strange blue backpack shaped like an x, as well as am x inside a pure red circle on the front of his chest which was covered in a thick blue armor. His arms were covered up to just before the elbow with a dark blue armored glove, while the rest of the arm was a lighter blue.

As for his chest, the dark blue slowly faded to a lighter blue as it moved down towards his legs, before a pair of armored boots of the same color as the helmet began at a little below the knees. On the ankle are of the boots rested the same x symbol on either side of both boots. The boots themselves had a yellow trim.

"This is...?"

This time the Navi answered him instead of Alfred in a friendly tone, "Megaman X. Or just X if you prefer, and from what my memory banks are telling me, we've got some work to do."

"If by work, you mean taking down an entire government," Chip's face slowly cracked into a grin, "I'm ready whenever, but out of curiosity, why exactly are you called Megaman X? Are you the tenth Megaman my great grandfather developed?"

"The X represents unlimited potential I was designed for similar to the variable in math that can mean any number in the universe."

Chip practically tripped over his own feet while pacing, "U-unlimited."

"Apparently," The NetNavi shrugged as if it was something, "That's what my creator tells me in my memory banks."

Chip turned to look at the computer, and Alfred confirmed what X had said.

"_So unlimited potential huh..._" Chip though as he looked down at his M.E.T., "So how do I get out of here Alfred?"

"In a hurry to leave so soon?"

"Yeah. I need to look for Myles. He got separated when I fell down here. We went down separate pipes."

"Myles?" X curiously asked.

"A friend of mine. We've been buddies since preschool."

"Well according to the information regarding this lab on the M.E.T..." X pulled up a map up next to himself, "the pipe next to the one you came out of would have led to this location."

Chip looked at the place X was pointing at, "That doesn't look horribly far from here. Mind guiding me as I walk?"

"That's fine by me...?"

"Oh right, completely forgot to tell you my name. It's Chip. Chip Hikari." Chip sheepishly laughed.

"Good to meet you Chip Hikari," X smiled briefly, "I'd shake your hand if I could."

"Well," Chip stretched and turned back to the Computer. "We'll be off then."

"I will see you later Master Hikari. Always know you're welcome here, and I will try to clean the place up a bit before you get back.

"Thanks for everything Alfred." Chip set off into the darkness, the new flashlight app on his M.E.T lighting the way.

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><p>Funnily enough, playing Portal 2 gave me the inspiration to finally write the freaking scene after Vile attacks. I had way more trouble then necessary writing that part out. Also I didn't make up the X thing, that's from some Anime OVA that was made at some point. Day of Sigma I believe it's called. Also, I could use a beta reader. Sometime it gets to the point where I don't want to read it anymore, and I miss things<p>

-Forscythe


	3. A Strange New Acquaintance

Talking

_Thinking_

I updated twice in four days... world must be ending, but on a more serious topic I really could use a beta, so message me if you're interested. Also thanks to Az the Dragon once again as well as crazygal17 for reviewing. My top hat (if I owned one) is tipped to you.

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><p>Chapter III: A Strange New Acquaintance<p>

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><p>Chip and his NetNavi arrived at the spot to find that Myles was nowhere to be found.<p>

"I suppose he moved on or something." Chip looked up into the pipe.

"I've done a life scan as far out as I can. Either he made it out, or he's dead." X was shuffling around some windows on the M.E.T..

"That's somewhat comforting I suppose." Chip straightened up and looked down at his NetNavi.

"Want to head for the exit?" X could sense his operator's anxiety, "There isn't much of a point to hang out in these dank sewers anyway."

"How do you know they're dank?" Chip asked curiously.

"The M.E.T. is capable of measuring all sorts of environmental attributes," X stated matter-of-factly.

"Interesting. I guess we'll do what you said and head for the exit then." Chip started walking again, following the hologram map X was providing him through the M.E.T. Eventually they reached a ladder that X said led to the surface.

Chip quickly scaled the ladder and peeked out from under the manhole cover, "Anybody around where we're coming out?"

"All clear on the vital signs scanner," X reported back to him after a moment's calculation.

That was Chip's signal to clamber out of the hole and back into the blissful "fresh" air of his hometown.

"Well, place looks as shitty as it did yesterday." Chip gazed at the rising sun, trying to ignore all the rundown houses and abandoned apartments, "I can't believe I've been up all night long."

A shrill scream pierced the quiet of the sunrise

"And it looks like I'll be up a little longer..." Chip sighed deeply and headed in the direction of the scream, but not before climbing to the rooftops. It wasn't long until he found the source of the scream.

Chip peered down from the rooftops to see a girl around 5'5'' with braided blonde hair holding a small pistol being surrounded by three Chasers.

"I wonder what she did." Chip got to his feet and looked down at his NetNavi. "Can we cross fuse? I can't stand by while someone gets hurt."

"We should be able to. The M.E.T fixes the synchronization problem, but I can't guarantee we'll be all that strong yet, as our synchronization level is going to be really low and that weakens our combined abilities," seeing Chip's confident look lessen, X quickly added, "but these guys ought to be no trouble anyway. I'm with you on this one. Needless violence against others doesn't solve anything. Just bring up the interface and touch the button in the right hand corner."

"Got it." Chip swiped his hand over the M.E.T., pulling up the interface. He then touched the small icon in the bottom right. "Let's go X! Cross Fusion activate!"

It all happened in an instant. All of Chips clothes vanished, and a shining white light covered his entire body except his face. X's main armor pieces materialized on his body, before the rest of the body suit just sort of expanded out from it. Finally, a mask extended over Chips mouth to complete the fusion.

"Alright so what can I do?" Chip's voice sounded muffled to him, but it came in loud and clear to X.

"Your arm can turn into an X-Buster, but without any battle chips that's about it. My buster should be more than powerful enough though."

"_Battle chips...? Whatever, I'll ask later._" Chip stepped to the edge of the roof and prepared to jump off, "Ready or not..."

"Let's go!" Chip and X yelled in unison, creating a strange garbling if their voices, before jumping off the building.

The rogue cross fuser landed feet first on the Chaser that was approaching the girl, smashing it face first into the ground.

"Who...?" Chip heard a rather pretty voice come from the girl.

Chip lifted his head up and gave a cheerful wave, before spinning around and kicking another chaser in the mid section, crushing it. Chip quickly thanked X for the warning and turned back to the girl.

"What the hell are you doing! Run!" adrenaline was pumping through Chip's body leading to him screaming a bit louder than he might have normally.

"Why? I've got a gun. I was about to take care of them before you showed up!"

"What do you think you're gonna do with that peashooter!" Chip was too busy shouting at the girl to hear X's warnings blaring in his head about the attacker approaching from behind.

The girl calmly raised the gun into a firing position and shot a precise shot right past Chip's head directly at the Chaser's head behind him. The bullet seemed to slow for a moment, before burrowing through the Chaser's shield straight into its skull.

Chip opened his mouth to admonish her, but a quick explanation from his NetNavi made him mutter, "Thanks. I should have been paying less attention to arguing with you and more on remembering that there was one left."

Chip walked over to the Chaser and bent down to check out where she had shot it.

"No blood..." Chip mused, "and here I thought they were human all this time."

_"There appears to be a mix of human parts in there though." X replyed, "I'm commencing a scan right now."_

A light blue light projected from the red piece of the cross fuser's helmet and swept up and down the felled Chaser. As the light was scanning the body, the girl knelt down next to him.

"So what's your story...?" Chip turned to look at her once the scan had finished, "Why were those Chasers after you?"

"Nothing really," the girl brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, trying to avoid the question.

"Bullshit." the girl flinched a little bit at the harshness of Chip's tone. "Chasers don't go after some random girl. That and the gun you're carrying make me think they were after you for a fairly significant reason. I think you owe the person who save your life an explanation."

"Technically I did the same."

Chip mentally sighed, "Fine. Keep your secrets, but I want to know one thing. Do you have any idea why this thing you shot through the head isn't human?"

"It isn't?" the girl face was filled with genuine surprise, "We always thought cross fusers didn't bleed."

"We?" Chip and X both laughed at the blush that turned the girl's cheeks a rosy red.

"...Alright."

"Alright what?" Chip looked at the girl quizzically.

"If you separate from your NetNavi I'll consider telling you a little bit about why I was chased. I just don't feel comfortable with you like... that"

This raised immediate alarm bells in both Chip's head and X's circuits.

"_Scan her for any other weapons besides that pistol that she might have on her X."_

_ "Got it."_ Chip's helmet began to buzz.

The girl rolled away from him and pointed her pistol at him, "What the hell are you doing!"

"I'm just scanning you for any weapons that you might be hiding. By the way, throw away all your weapons. I'll undo the cross fusion as soon as you do that." Chip stood back up and stretched.

The girl tossed the gun away, "Happy?"

"And the knife in your boot."

She sighed and threw the knife to side as well. Satisfied, Chip told X to cancel the cross fusion. The same glowing light covered Chip again. Then the pieces of armor just seemed to melt off his body, and he found himself back in his ripped up clothes.

"_I really need to change..." _thought Chip as the wind from the after effects of the transformation ruffled his scraggly chestnut brown hair, "_And get a hair cut."_

"Well you're not what I expected," She giggled a bit, "You look like a hobo."

"Well sorry I'm not some dashing hero you were imagining," Chip grumbled to himself, "but more importantly weren't you supposed to tell me something?"

"Ah right," the girl got out of here crouch and walked over to him, "I'm part of the resistance."

"Resistance?" Chip echoed her in confusion, "_Any data on that X?"_

_ "Nothing in my database, must have been established a good deal after the takeover."_

Chip looked up to see her walking away pistol in hand, "Hey! Is that all I get?"

The girl turned back to look at him and stuck her tongue out, "Yup. Unless you come to the warehouse downtown next to the rundown courthouse. The names Laurana Abiona by the way."

"Chip Hikari," Chip responded, but the girl kept on walking without acknowledging she had even heard him.

_"Laurana Abiona huh..."_ Chip mused, "Well I might as well pay a visit to that warehouse. What do you think X?"

"Sounds like a start if you really want to take the government down." X nodded on the screen of the M.E.T.

"First I want to pay a visit to my old pad though. I'm hoping Myles went there after he got out of the sewers, but mostly I want a goddamn nap."

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><p>I kind of feel like I'm not giving X enough screen time, so I'd kinda like to know what you guys think. You can either send it via a pm, or in the case of a review, put something else in there besides that like a positive comment or something I can improve on. The usual review stuff. Also for the record, italics while Chip and X are cross fused can also refer to them speaking to each other via a mind link.<p>

-Forscythe out


	4. A League of Assholes

Talking

_Thinking_

So uh... APRIL FOOLS! Here's a new chapter, and I do realize that that whole cancellation thing might have been a bit cruel, but its all in good fun right? R-right?

I don't any aspect of Megaman or any of its derivatives. I only own my ocs.

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><p>Chapter IV: A League of Assholes<p>

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><p>The old spring bed in the basement felt better than any bed in Chip's life, but even it became uncomfortable as days passed, and the familiar face of Myles never showed. X had tried to break it to his partner several times that Myles might just be dead, but this only resulted in a sharp glare from Chip followed by him putting the M.E.T. face down on the ground<p>

Finally after days of moping, Chip strapped the M.E.T back on his wrist.

"I think it's finally time we headed to the warehouse." Chip looked down at his NetNavi, "...and X?

"Hmmm?" X cracked one eye open

"Sorry for being such an ass these last couple days." Chip laced up his old, beat up tennis shoes.

"Apology accepted. So the old warehouse downtown?"

"Yup. Mind setting us a route via the rooftops? I don't feel like running into anything nasty on the way there."

"Won't the roof make you more suspicious?"

"People never seem to look up. We'll be fine."

"Might I remind you that we just found out that crossfuser police aren't necessarily human?"

"Close enough to human not to look up. You worry too much X."

X merely shook his head on the small screen, "Only trying to make sure neither of us get killed."

Chip disregarded the comment and stared at the hole in the floor he had fallen through in that unforgettable night a week or so ago. He had lost track of time at this point.

"First I want to pay a visit to Albert about those battle chips."

With his newish (they used to Lan's apparently) battle chips rattling in a case in his pocket, Chip approached the giant metal doors and rapped on them loudly without hesitation. He waited for what seemed like hours to him, before there was some muffled shuffling finally heard behind the door. With a sharp 'click!' it slowly cracked open ever so slightly.

"Who's there?" a familiar female voice flowed out through the crack

"It's the guy that you told to come here about a week ago!"

"Oh that hobo that saved me the other day!" the door swung open to reveal a slightly grimier than before Laurana Abiona smiling the smile she wore at the end of their last meeting.

"You don't exactly look like royalty yourself." Chip allowed a small smile to form on his lips.

The girl walked out into the open and sniffed slightly, "Exactly how long has it been since you showered?"

"Well..." Chip tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I got attacked twoish days ago... and I hadn't showered since a day or two before that. Combined with all the sewer wandering I've been doing, it's no wonder I probably smell like a pile of crap."

"That's an understatement." Laurana muttered under her breath, "So you decided to come after all huh? I was beginning to wonder if you would."

"I needed some sleep. When I saved you I hadn't slept in practically two days."

"Right..." Laurana looked a bit suspicious, though Chip couldn't really blame her, "I've got some questions before I let you in here, and no funny business."

Chip raised one eyebrow, "What exactly are you gonna do to me unarmed?"

"Maybe I won't do anything, but the four sniper rifles trained on your heart might have something to say about it."

Chip looked down to see four little red dots all trained on his chest, "Ah."

"They've got cross fusion piercing capable bullets so don't try and fuse to escape. Now who are you and how the hell do you have a NetNavi!"

"Oh come on!" Chip rolled his eyes, "You can't still seriously think I'm with the government?"

"You've got a NetNavi," Laurana replied coolly, "It stands to reason that you must be associated with them in some shape or form."

Chip sighed in defeat, "Would you believe that I got it from a British super computer in the sewers that was apparently built by my great grandfather?"

Laurana blinked owlishly at the young Hikari before bursting out into laughter.

"Oh come one I know it sounds cra-" Chip felt something wrap around his wrists, "Wait, is someone cuffing me?"

Laurana had a bit of a bemused look on her face, "Chief what are you doing? You said I'd have a chance to figure out what's going on!"

The aforementioned "Chief" yanked Chip roughly to his knees, "It's obvious this guy is lying."

"But there wasn't any deceit in h-" something happened to shut Laurana up that Chip couldn't see.

"Now you listen to me carefully," an old, scarred face barren of any sympathy came into Chip's vision, "The resistance isn't a bunch of suckers. Now you go back to your boss and tell him to go to hell."

"I don't have a boss to go back to idiot," Chip replied sardonically, "but if you don't want me here, you don't have to be such an asshole about it."

"You know what, I've changed my mind," the "Chief" punched Chip across the face, knocking him to the ground, "Throw him in the isolation box for a while. Maybe then he'll fess up. Oh and strip him of his NetNavi. It'll be useful to study."

Chip groaned in pain from a searing sensation around his temple and could feel fresh blood dripping down his face as a guard roughly grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, stripped him of his M.E.T., and began dragging him inside the dimly lit warehouse. The last thing he saw before he blacked out was Laurana arguing fervently with the "Chief", who he had a feeling was going to make his life hell.

* * *

><p>Chip slowly began to wake in a pain filled haze.<p>

"Ugghhh my head," Chip reached a hand up to his head and felt tender skin covered in dry blood, "Some welcoming committee this 'resistance' brought out. I feel like hell...wait where's my M.E.T!"

Chip felt around frantically in the dark confines of his prison, but without success. Through his groggy haze he finally remembered that it had been taken from him shortly before he blacked out.

"Bastards didn't even bother bandaging my wound did they." Chip could feel some blood still flowing sluggishly from the side of his head.

Chip simply sat in the darkness for a short time floating in and out of consciousness, hoping he wouldn't bleed out, when some raised voices penetrated the silence.

"I'm telling you he needs medical attention. Did you not see the blood flowing out of the side of his head!" an angry female voice came first.

"But the boss sai-!" sounds of someone being roughly pushed around proceeded this gruff voice.

Then like a beacon of hope, the top of Chips confines opened to let in light. Two hands grasped him by the shoulders and helped him to his feet.

Laurana began to wrap bandages around the head wound, cringing slightly at the nasty sight, "I can't get you out of here, but at least I can keep you from dieing."

"Thanks," Chip slurred in reply, before slumping back down into the box as soon as Laurana had finished the job.

"I promise I'll get you out of there as soon as I can. I don't really know why, but I believe you, no matter how ridiculous your story is." Laurana slowly shut the cover, "Don't die before I can get you out. Otherwise my efforts will go to waste."

* * *

><p>So hopefully nobody is too murderous after all that, but hopefully seeing a new chapter sated any... urges you might have had. Anyways, I have a break coming out soon so if I'm not horribly lazy the next chapter will be out before May comes, especially now that the plot in 99% planned out. Also a beta is still wanted. I'm serious.<p>

-Forscythe


	5. Tiny Metal Boxes and Pain

Talking

_Thinking_

Back from the depths of cancellation! _What the Future Brings_ rises from the ashes! I can't believe I'm updating this thing. Before I start this chapter I once again thank all those who reviewed.

I don't own this fantastic series or any of its deviations

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><p>Chapter V: Tiny Metal Boxes and Pain<p>

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><p>To say Chip was miserable was an understatement. He had lost track of the time he had spent sitting in a dingy box with the worst headache he'd ever had thanks to that idiot "chief" smacking his head into the ground. The only nourishment he had gotten was bread and the occasional dish of water slid through the slit in the side of the box. Muttering a few curses under his breath, Chip tried to move his numb legs into a position where they might get a bit more circulation. Unfortunately he slipped, and another string of curses let loose from his mouth as the sore side of his head that was caked with dry blood banged into the side of the box.<p>

"Quiet down in there!" the ever-present, ever annoying guard yelled, probably making more noise than Chip did when he banged his gun on the side of the box. Oddly enough it had a lot less oomph to it then the fast few times.

"Bastard," Chip muttered through the dull throbbing pain, "If I could get out of here I'd give all these damn resistance members a piece of my mind. Didn't their parents teach them not to look a gift horse in the mouth?"

A sudden loud noise startled Chip and caused him to bang his head against the box again.

"Goddamnit!"

"Sshhhh!" a female voice sounded out from beyond the box, "Keep quiet in there!"

"Laurana?" Chip couldn't believe his ears.

Slowly but surely the top of his prison creaked open. A pair of bright blue eyes stared at Chip through the crack.

"Are you still alive in there?" Laurana's voice was music to Chip's ears.

"Kind of."

"Funny." Chip felt a small weight land in his lap, "Take this and get going. It won't be long before somebody notices you're gone."

Chip looked down and saw a sight that made his shoulders sag in relief. The object that Laurana had tossed in was the M.E.T. that he had grown so attached to over the last few days.

"...Why? Why would you help me escape?" Chip slowly strapped the device back on his wrist, not sure if this was a dream

"I don't really know why myself. Just leave before we're found out." Laurana rubbed her forehead wearily, "I really don't want to get in any deeper shit with my father than I already am."

"Wait." Chip's eyes practically bugged out of his head. "Your father is that ass?"

"Yes. My father is that ass" Laurana just let the insult slide past, a hint of amusement passing over her face. "Now go. You need to leave before the guard's drugs that I slipped into his coffee wear off!"

Chip nodded groggily and let Laurana lead him. Within minutes they were outside and greeted by the rising sun.

"Well thanks." Chip turned to face Laurana, "How can I repay you?"

"As much as I hate to admit it," she shyly smiled at him, "You did save me from those Chasers. I especially hate to admit it since you're such a dirty looking hobo."

"Thanks for the compliment," Chip grumbled under his breath, "I guess I'll see you later then?"

"Probably not unless you decide to keep on fighting the good fight."

"I will be." Chip could feel a bit of his old cockiness flooding back in as he powered his M.E.T. back on.

"You sure?" concern briefly flashed across the girl's face, "You'll technically be all alone."

"I've got X." Chip lifted up his arm which showed a booting up M.E.T. "I'll be fine. Ready buddy?"

"Ready Chip!"

Chip pressed the cross fusion button and let the somewhat familiar feeling of the transformation process envelop him. Once it was complete he did a quick cocky salute to Laurana and took off across the rooftops.

_"Hopefully she won't get in too much trouble X."_

_ "Yeah I'd feel bad if she went through all the effort of freeing us and got punished for it."_

After a few parkour filled minutes, Chip found himself at home sweet home. He quickly ran inside the decrepit old house and jumped down the hole into the sewers below.

_"Want to activate a navigation program to help us get back to Alfred."_

_ "You don't know the way by now?" X's voice teased, "Don't worry I'm already on it."_

A blue holographic map popped in front of the fused pair complete with a path already outlined out on it in red.

"_Thanks buddy."_

_ "Don't mention it."_

Chip followed the somewhat familiar twists and turns until finally arriving in the room where their computer butler resided.

"Welcome home Master Hikari." the British voice made the sewer seem so much more like home than it had a second ago to Chip.

"Thanks Alfred," Chip grinned as he let the cross fusion cancel.

"I trust today hasn't been too stressful?"

"I hope that was a joke Alfred. I get the feeling a lot of my days are going to be stressful from now on," Chip flopped down on an old mattress a few feet from the machine, "Alfred, do you have any idea why anyone can cross fuse whenever they want. I've wondered that for ages now. I always thought the President's cross fusers just had special equipment."

"Ah." Alfred spoke after a moment, "I was wondering when you'd ask. I was preparing to inform you in a day or two, but there's not time like the present I suppose. You know President Wily correct?"

"I'd be living under a rock if I didn't."

"His full name is Albert Wily III. He's the grandson of the man Lan Hikari foiled on multiple occasions. He designed a system of creating a special massive dimensional area to cover the entire world. He did it under the premise of peace and prosperity, after all life would indeed be made easier if everyone could cross-fuse to perform everyday tasks."

X interrupted, "And no one expected anything based on his relatives?"

No one expected it after Albert Wily II never tried a single nefarious thing, and actually did many good things for world peace." Alfred responded sadly, "Obviously things went completely south when Albert III unveiled an army of cross fusers the moment the field went up. He then declared himself the ruler of the world while holding the past president at gunpoint.

"That swift huh..." Chip clenched his hands tightly until they turned white, "I can't believe it was that damn easy."

No one really expected it Master Hikari," Alfred replied, "Hindsight is 20/20 after all. The real thing you should be thinking about is how you're going to fix it."

"Well..." Chip racked his brain, "I can't exactly just go knocking down the dimensional area in its entirety by myself; I can't exactly take on an army of normal people on my own."

"Well you could always try destroying Wily's entire army first."

"That'd take FOREVER X."

"It was just a suggestion." Chip saw X shrug his shoulders, "I doubt you've got any better ideas."

"Oh go to hell."

"NetNavis don't have a concept of the afterlife."

"..." Chip sighed.

Alfred chuckled, "You two are so much like Master Lan and Hub it's uncanny."

"Hub?" Chip looked up at the computer curiously.

"Lan's twin brother." the computer paused for a minute before continuing, "Lan's father somehow managed to transfer his consciousness into a NetNavi after he died of a rare disease. That NetNavi became Megaman, Lan's eternal partner in the fight against net-terrorism."

"How the hell do you transfer a human's consciousness into data!?" Chip's mouth dropped.

"No one really knows." Alfred responded, "Lan's father was a bit of a scientific genius."

"That's an understatement..."

"So Master Hikari." Alfred spoke again, "What will you do. I've got the locations of the spikes if you wish to being hunting now."

"You know what," Chip sighed and got to his feet, "Send me the location data for the closest one."

"At once Master Hikari." Alfred began making an assortment of beeping noises, "Keep in mind that the field will not fall until you take down all eight of the spikes."

"That's fine by me," Chip grinned, "I wouldn't want my cross fusion ability to stop working in the middle of Wily's armies.

"Data transfer complete," Alfred intoned, "I'll keep in contact with you via your M.E.T if something pops up."

"Got it." Chip gave a quick salute, "Ready to go raise hell X?"

"Yup." X flexed on the screen, "Let's not stop until the entire world is saved!"

* * *

><p>Sort of short, but I felt like this was a good place to end it.<p>

-Forscythe


	6. The Quest Begins

Talking

_Thinking_

As a side note, I'm using the actual Earth as a reference point for locations. It just makes my life easier.

I don't own this fantastic series or any of it's deviations.

* * *

><p>Chapter VI: The Quest Begins<p>

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><p>"It had to be somewhere cold first didn't it?" Chip grumbled to his partner, hugging his arms close to his body.<p>

"Well the closest one did happen to be just across the border in Canada." X shrugged on-screen, "And you DID ask for the closest one."

"I know I know..." Chip rummaged through his old jean's pockets and pulled out a sausage that he began to gnaw on hungrily, "I'm so glagh that Alfregh hadh so mucgh storgh foodhg."

"Repeat?" X shook his head, but couldn't keep a grin off of his face, "I can't understand you while your mouth is full."

Chip swallowed, "I said: I'm so glad that Alfred had so much stored food. I haven't eaten this good in months!"

"Ah."

"So, how close are we?" Chip hated how wet his feet were getting. It was not pleasant to walk through a foot of snow in sneakers.

"A couple of miles out at this point." X replied.

"Alright then, let's go ahead and cross fuse." Chip stowed the half-eaten granola he had just pulled out of his pocket, "Don't want to get caught off guard."

"You just want to get warm."

"I'm not even gonna try to deny that." Chip initiated the cross fuse and let the warmth of the fusion wash over himself "Ahhhhh... that feels so much better. Why didn't we do this hours ago?"

"_That's... a good question_." Chip could almost feel X's facepalm in his head, "_Why did we disable it when we made it across the border?"_

* * *

><p>"<em>It's pretty heavily guarded." <em>X muttered grimly, "_We'll probably have to go in swinging._"

"I'd rather have it this way personally." Chip replied grimly, "It's not like the bastards deserve any mercy for stooping to work for Wily."

"...I guess." X said hesitantly.

"What's up with you?" Chip asked, "I need you to be working together with me or this is going to be a lot harder."

"It's nothing." X reassured, "Let's get this done as fast as we can."

"That's the spirit!" Chip got out of his crouch and shot down the hill, "X activate max thrusters on our legs, I want to just blow through these guys and get out of here!"

"_Got it. Setting thrust to max and setting a navigation arrow on your HUD."_

"You got those preloaded chips ready?" Chip kicked one surprised cross fuser in the head before blowing it off and back flipping over another.

"Yup."

"Activate LongSword chip!" Chip sliced a surprised cross fuser in half before he could get a chance to shoot. "X can we run up walls!?"

"_Er... yeah actually." _X replied, "_It's actually one of the built-in features of my programming. Just run up the wall and start jumping. The back thrusters will push you back towards the wall so you can keep going higher and higher."_

"Got it."

"_Why do you ask."_

"You'll see." Chip dashed to the front of the cylindrical base and started climbing up it.

"_You aren't planning on blowing up the top of the spike right?" _X asked, "_Nothing we have is strong enough to blow it up. Alfred told us we had to aim for the reactor core._"

"Nope. Not planning on blowing up the spike." Chip reached the spike in question, "Feed me a sword chip."

_"Alright..." _

Chip took his sword bearing arm and shoved it down into the metal of the base's roof. As he had hoped, it cut through like butter, so he quickly cut a circle big enough to fit through and kicked it in.

"_Hey nice!" X shouted through their link, "This'll let us get to the core really fast!"_

_ "_I hope so." Chip jumped down into the newly opened hole. Seeing that the core was still below him, he cut through a few more floors until he met solid stone. It would take forever to cut through it all.

"X what gives?"

_"The core appears to be down a shaft dug deep into the stone. You're gonna need to head down that corridor to find the staircase."_

"I shoulda figured it wouldn't be that easy." Chip took off down the hallway, following it until it turned into a giant room, "So where from here?"

"_There should be an opening in the back left corner."_ X was interrupted by a bird like screech, "_What was that!?"_

_ "_You think I know!?" Chip looked around the room wildly, "Are your sensors picking up anything!?"

A massive flapping noise was the only alert Chip and X received before a pair of massive claws raked across their back causing the both of them to scream out in pain. When they turned to face whatever had attacked them, they saw a giant blueish-white mechanical bird flapping it's wings and staring very angrily at them. Chip cursed angrily under his breath and immediately shot a few buster shots right at its head. It didn't even scratch the beast.

"Any ideas X?" Chip dodged a beam of something blue from the bird's mouth, "Really anything at this point!"

"_I'm scanning it for weaknesses calm down for just a sec!" X replied._

"It's trying to blow my head off!" Chip screamed back, dodging yet another blue beam by dashing up a wall, "How the hell am I supposed to stay calm!?"

"_In case you forget its technically my head too at the moment!" _X snapped back, "_And I think I might have a solution, though you might not like it."_

"Hit me with it!" Chip rolled under another one of the bird's dives.

"_If we fire an ElecPulse down its throat it might shut it down!" _X replied, "_And if that fails we can always shove a couple of bombs down its throat. Its insides are pretty fragile. You'll have to do it before or after it fire one of its beams off."_

"Well okay.." Chip shot off towards the bird to try to get close enough to it, "I'm gonna trust you on this one."

Dodging another one of the beams, Chip leapt up onto the top of the bird's neck and jammed his arm into the bird's mouth. Using his elbow and fist to prop it open, He immediately fired an ElecPulse fired by several MiniBombs. Not wanting to get caught in the explosion, Chip immediately flipped off the bird and took off running in the opposite direction.

The ensuing boom that followed moments later made Chip sigh in relief.

"Looks like it worked buddy." Chip's voice trembled slightly because of adrenaline and relief, "Let's hope we don't run into many more of those."

"_I would bet on it." _X replied_, "I'm sensing something really nasty down in the reactor area. It's definitely a cross fuser."_

"Got it." Chip popped open the hatch and jumped down, "I'll watch my back."

Chip walked down the narrow hallway, noticing the gradual drop in temperature as they seemed to go miles down into the earth.

"Hey X is this temperature drop natural or artificial?"

"_Well..._" X seemed to be in thought, "_It seems to be natural, but I'm seeing that its sort of blooming out from some giant unnatural source_."

"Do you think it's stemming from the core?" Chip stepped around a pipe and ducked under a loose piece of ceiling, "Man this place is run down. When was the last time someone came down to maintain this decrepit place?"

"_Unlikely that it's stemming from the core." _X replied, "_The data I received from Alfred was for a heat based source of energy for this particular spike. Maybe the cold is from something keeping it cooled down?"_

"Maybe." Chip stepped over yet another pile of debris, "You know more about this stuff then I do."

"_Well we're about to find out." _X said grimly, "_The core is right around the corner."_

The entrance to the core was fairly average for what was probably held inside. It was simple metal door that had somehow become frozen over by a layer of hard ice at some point in the past. Chip quickly shattered the ice with a quick punch and kicked the aged door in with a resounding thud.

A dull green glow from the core feeding the spike covered the entire chamber.

"That's a big energy source." Chip walked up to the core in awe, "You sure this isn't going to kill us when we make it go boom?"

"_As long as we place a TimeBomb and book it we should be fine."_

"Well well," a soft clapping made Chip freeze in his tracks, "I DO commend you on making it to this chamber alive and well. I'd have thought my pet would have done away with you.

Chip spun to the source of the voice and saw a light blue looking man covered in a skin-tight black outfit. He also had large ice crystals sticking out of his shoulders and the sides of his legs

"Who the hell are you?" Chip brought the X-Buster to bear, "You the guy in charge of this base?"

"You could say that," the blue skinned man tilted his head to the side, "My name is FreezeMan."

"_This guy's the power I sensed earlier!" _X shouted in Chip's mind, "_And the source of the cold. Be careful this guy isn't some random cross fuser!"  
><em>

"Got it." Chip began charging the X-Buster, "So I'm gonna assume you aren't going to let me just blow up this reactor and go? Or are you as clever as your creator's ability to make names?"

"I'm afraid not." FreezeMan turned his left arm into a massive ice sword, "Shall we begin?"

* * *

><p>Yeah more or less reassuring everyone this fic is indeed back by writing a new chapter right away. So incredibly sorry for the wait. On a different note, I find myself loving having X for Chip to talk to. It makes some scenes way easier to write.<p>

-Forscythe


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